BY THE SEA
A modern comic adult fairy tale with an ensemble cast of Cinderellas.
“Steven Paul Leiva has written an engaging, thoughtful, and kind book. In this era of unlikable characters and the idea that a "good" book is one in which horrible things happen to horrible people, Leiva has turned that entirely on its head. Even when people act badly, he has told their story with sympathy and grace, with a complete kindness for even the most outwardly difficult characters. By the Sea is long, but it's not fat. It's all muscle. And what a satisfying book it is! Leiva has built his small world perfectly, and each character is so complete and well thought out that what at first seem disparate pieces fit together perfectly by the end. It's a hat trick in perfect proportions!” -- Jo Graham, author of Black Ships, Hand of Isis, and Stealing Fire.
Instead of a kingdom by the sea, our story takes place in and around a residential hotel by the sea. The architecturally eclectic Briers Hotel is situated on Leech Beach, a not particularly inviting beach, being often fog-bound and always scruffy. But it’s the perfect setting for our Cinderellas, male and female, who put up with the scruffy-ness of life while striving to make it through their various personal seaside fogs. Theater; art; antiques; old movies; sex; more sex; death; fast and slow cars, chicken shit and cow poop; military bearing and erotic emissions -- not to mention the wicked witch, the sea serpent by the sea shore, the village ogre, the village idiot, and several Prince Charmings -- all figure into this merry tale with a multitude of happy endings.
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What do they say about Steven Paul Leiva and his books -Traveling in Space, Searching for Ray Bradbury, and Blood is Pretty: The First Fixxer Adventure?
"Traveling in Space's humor and refreshing perspective are thoroughly enjoyable"
-- Diane Ackerman, New York Times bestselling author of The Human Age and A Natural History of the Senses
“Steven gives way to impulse. To passion and the heart." -- David Brin, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author of Existence and the Uplift Series
"Leiva's immense gifts are matched only by his wry, biting wit" -- Paul Provenza; author of ¡Satiristas! director of The Aristocrats, host of Showtime's The Green Room with Paul Provenza.
"Highly entertaining and impressive" -- Richard D. Zanuck, Academy Award-winning Producer of Jaws, Cocoon, Driving Miss Daisy, and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland
"Wry humor, intellectual insight and terrific story telling are the consistent signatures of Leiva's work." -- Ken Kragen, legendary Hollywood producer/manager
"Superbly entertaining and unique...thought provoking." - The Mindquest Review of Books
"Many of the aliens' encounters with human beings are downright funny...much to think about and I'm sure that Traveling in Space will play on my mind for some time to come" -- Russell Blackford, author of Humanity Enhanced and Terminator 2: The New John Connor Chronicles
"A unique spin of science fiction... With much humor and much to think about...not to be overlooked" -- Midwest Book Review
"Searching for Ray Bradbury is a delightful book, written and made in the loving spirit of Ray himself...Who could resist?" -- Gary Dalkin, Amazing Stories Magazine
"Ray Bradbury will be remembered as one of the literary giants of the 20th Century. Steven Paul Leiva's book is a perfect tribute to the life and works of this great artist." -- Joe Mantegna, actor
"Steven Paul Leiva takes a dash of James Bond, the ghost of noir, a splash of Hollywood and stirs it into Blood is Pretty, an adventurous, fast-paced first novel." -- Melodie Johnson Howe, Edgar-nominated author of The Mother Shadow
"The Fixxer has the mystery of the Shadow, the sophistication of James Bond and the street smarts of Sam Spade." -- Stuart Nulman, Book Banter/CJAD, Montreal
"Fixxer is a fascinating character. Intrigue; murder; mayhem in a fast paced action filled adventure. A truly great first novel." -- E. V. Le Roux, Silver Moon Magazine
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